PONTYPOOL open the defence of their Victory Shield Welsh Foursomes golf title in the next month against Whitehall in a potentially tricky preliminary round tie, writes Chris Smart.

Last summer Don Jones and Dave Edmunds, carrying the Pontypool banner, clinched the crown at Pyle and Kenfig with a shock three and two victory in the final over home pair, brothers Richard and Matthew Peet.

No doubt they will hope to make a stout defence of the shield this season. If successful against Whitehall, the Pontypool duo will face a local derby against either Greenmeadow or Blackwood.

There are some interesting preliminary round clashes involving clubs from Monmouthshire.

In the all-Gwent battles, Parc take on Celtic Manor while Pontnewydd meet Raglan and Dewstow come up against Newport.

West Monmouthshire take on Rhondda and St Pierre clash with Aberdare while a number of local clubs have received byes into the first round proper, among them Woodland Park, who open their bid for glory against Pontypridd, and Llanwern, who take on Virginia.

Preliminary round matches have to be completed by April 2 with round one games concluded a month later.

Full draw preliminary round: Hollywell v Flint; Denby v Llandudno Maesddu; Bettws-y-Coed v Clays; Anglesey v Royal St David's; Vale of Llangollen v Padeswood and Buckley; Mold v Bull Bay; Swansea Bay v Langland Bay; Pennard v South Pembrokeshire; Penrhos v Cardigan; Builth Wells v Summerhill; Machynys Peninsular v Aberdove; Clyne v Carmarthen; Gower v Ashburnham; Coed-y-Mwstwr v Peterstone; Royal Porthcawl v Llantrisant and Pontyclun; Cardiff v Fairwood Park; Grove v Glamorganshire; Pyle and Kenfig v Dinas Powys; Pontardawe v Llanishen; Wenvoe Castle v Maesteg; Greenmeadow v Blackwood; Whitehall v Pontypool; St Pierre v Aberdare; West Monmouthshire v Rhondda; Wernddu v Morlais Castle; Dewstow v Newport; Pontnewydd v Raglan Parc; Parc v Celtic Manor.

First round proper: Rhoose on Sea v Porthmadoc; Conwy v Abergele; Caernarvon v Holywell or Flint; Mold or Bull Bay v Rhuddlan; Holyhead v Hawarden; St Deiniol v Wrexham; Aberystwyth v Glynhir; Priskilly Forest v St David's City; Haverfordwest v Swansea Bay or Langland Bay; Llandrindod Wells v Milford Haven; Tenby v St Giles; Caerphilly v Whitchurch; Vale of Glamorgan v RAF St Athen; Inco v Coed-y-Mwstwr or Peterstone; Southerndown v St Mellons; Neath v Morriston; Woodlake Park v Pontypridd; Llanwern v Virginia Park; Creigiau v Monmouthshire; Bargoed v Merthyr Tydfil.